Tories' 30-hour free childcare plan fails to target poor families, says expert

OECD education director welcomes scheme but questions government's decision to focus on working parents

The government's plan to provide 30 hours' free childcare has been criticised by a leading global education expert for failing to target the most disadvantaged families whose children stand to gain the most.

Andreas Schleicher, education director of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), welcomed the doubling of the free childcare offer, which he said would bring England up from the bottom of the international league in terms of hours offered to an average position.